Contents

Currently RNAS means "Royal Naval Air Station" and, in common with the Royal Air Force, is always followed by a geographical place in which the air station is located. (Historically RNAS is the "Royal Naval Air Service")

Some smaller and some very early Naval Air Stations in the list above were not commissioned as HM Ships. Those below were commissioned and, therefore, have a ship's name. Royal Navy shore bases and naval air stations have traditionally been named in the same manner as seagoing ships.

Officers were appointed to HMS xxx rather than to RNAS xxx and, similarly, ratings' Service Certificates will show only the name of the ship when drafted to a Naval Air Station. Thus, this list may help when researching family history records.[citation needed]

1.
List of ship names of the Royal Navy
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This is an alphabetical list of all the names of ships that have ever been in service with the Royal Navy, as well as a list of fictional vessels in literature about the Royal Navy. Many of the names have been re-used over the years and thus represent more than one ship, altogether over 13,000 ships have been in service with the Royal Navy. Note that, unlike many other services, the Royal Navy designates certain types of shore establishment as ships. These establishments are referred to in service slang as stone frigates. This is a list of names of note. Where real ship names are used fictionally, there is a link to the ships using that name. Witch of Endor In films and television, Avenger Defiant Bounty Venus Indefatigable and Hotspur Surprise Dauntless, HMS Wrestler, Invader, Defender and Blue Ranger were Escort carriers of the 14th Aircraft Carrier Squadron in Alistair MacLeans novel HMS Ulysses. HMS Sirdar fictional S class destroyer in Alistair MacLeans novels The Guns of Navarone, in WW2 films, HMS Torrin HMS Sea Tiger. HMS Bedford, HMS Chester, HMS Devonshire, HMS Suffolk HMS Monarch is a fictional Type 23 frigate in the Action Stations exhibit at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, Portsmouth, bibliography of 18th-19th century Royal Naval history Colledge, J. J. Warlow, Ben. Ships of the Royal Navy, The Complete Record of all Fighting Ships of the Royal Navy

2.
List of ship names of the Royal Navy (A)
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This is a list of Royal Navy ship names starting with A. J. Warlow, Ben. Ships of the Royal Navy, The Complete Record of all Fighting Ships of the Royal Navy

3.
List of ship names of the Royal Navy (B)
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This is a list of Royal Navy ship names starting with B. J. Warlow, Ben. Ships of the Royal Navy, The Complete Record of all Fighting Ships of the Royal Navy

4.
List of ship names of the Royal Navy (C)
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This is a list of Royal Navy ship names starting with C. J. Warlow, Ben. Ships of the Royal Navy, The Complete Record of all Fighting Ships of the Royal Navy

5.
List of aircraft carriers of the Royal Navy
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The following is a list of fleet aircraft carriers of the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom. HMS Unicorn was a repair ship and light aircraft carrier. Perseus and Pioneer were modified to operate as maintenance carriers, the 1942 design was modified to take more modern aircraft and these ships became the Majestic-class. Not completed until after the end of the war, most ended up purchased by other navies

6.
List of escort aircraft carriers of the Royal Navy
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They were typically half the length and one-third the displacement of the larger fleet carriers. While they were slower, less armed, unarmoured and carried fewer aircraft, they were less expensive and this was their principal advantage, as escort carriers could be completed in greater numbers as a stop-gap when fleet carriers were scarce. However, the lack of protection made escort carriers particularly vulnerable, the light carrier was a similar concept to escort carriers in most respects, but they were designed for higher speeds for deployment with fleet carriers. Escort carriers were too slow to keep up with the main forces consisting of fleet carriers, battleships, instead, they were used to defend convoys from enemy threats such as submarines and planes. In the invasions of mainland Europe and Pacific islands, escort carriers provided air support to forces during amphibious operations. Escort carriers also served as aircraft transports for fleet carriers. In addition, escort carriers such as HMS Vindex and HMS Nairana played an important role in hunter-killer anti-submarine sweeps in company with RN and RCN destroyers, HMS Vindex is credited with the sinking, or taking part in the sinking, of four U-boats. Escort carriers should not be confused with the Merchant Aircraft Carrier or CAM ship

7.
List of battlecruisers of the Royal Navy
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The battlecruiser was the brainchild of Admiral Sir John Fisher, the man who had sponsored the construction of the worlds first all big gun warship, HMS Dreadnought. He visualised a new breed of warship with the armament of a battleship, but faster, lighter, the first three battlecruisers, the Invincible class, were laid down while Dreadnought was being built in 1906. This design philosophy was most successful in action when the battlecruisers could use their speed to run down smaller and weaker ships. They were less successful against heavily armoured ships, as was demonstrated by the loss of Invincible, Indefatigable, and Queen Mary during the Battle of Jutland in 1916. Of the battlecruisers built before the First World War, the Invincible class and Indefatigable class all had 6 inches of armour on their waterline, a top speed of 25 knots, and eight 12-inch guns. The more advanced battlecruisers—the two Lion-class ships, HMS Queen Mary, and HMS Tiger—all had a belt of 9 inches, speeds over 28 knots. The Renown and Courageous classes, built during the war, were begun when Admiral Fisher was appointed First Sea Lord for the time in late 1914. HMS Hood was laid down during the war, but was reworked with more armour based on the experience gained at the Battle of Jutland. They were cancelled as they exceeded the limits of the Washington Naval Treaty. Of the first nine battlecruisers, only HMS Tiger survived the Washington Treaty, the three Courageous-class ships were converted to aircraft carriers during the 1920s and only Repulse, Renown and Hood served in the Second World War as battlecruisers. All three went through substantial refits between the wars, Hood was lost in the battle of the Denmark Strait, Repulse was sunk by Japanese aircraft at the start of the war in the Pacific, and Renown survived the war to be scrapped in 1948. The Invincible-class ships were the first battlecruisers in the world, the design resembled that of HMS Dreadnought, but sacrificed armour protection and one gun turret from the main battery for a 4-knot speed advantage. During the war Inflexible and Indomitable participated in the pursuit of the German ships Goeben. Inflexible was recalled shortly afterwards, but Indomitable remained off the Dardanelles to bottle up the German ships for the rest of 1914 before returning to the UK. Invincible and Inflexible were sent to the South Atlantic in late 1914 to hunt down the German East Asia Squadron, Indomitable participated in the Battle of Dogger Bank in the North Sea in early 1915 while Inflexible was badly damaged during the opening stages of the Dardanelles Campaign. The ships formed the 3rd Battlecruiser Squadron at Jutland where Invincible was destroyed by the explosion of an artillery magazine. The two surviving ships spent the rest of the war conducting patrols of the North Sea, as the High Seas Fleet was forbidden by the Kaiser to risk any more losses and they were put into reserve in early 1919 and sold for scrap on 1 December 1921. Like its predecessor, the design resembled the contemporary dreadnought, but sacrificed armour protection, New Zealand agreed to fund one battlecruiser and chose a modified Indefatigable design rather than the Lion-class battlecruiser then being built for the Royal Navy

8.
List of dreadnought battleships of the Royal Navy
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This is a list of dreadnought battleships of the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom. In 1907, before the revolution in design brought about by HMS Dreadnought of 1906, the Royal Navy had 62 battleships in commission or building, however, the launch of Dreadnought in 1906 prompted an arms race with major strategic consequences. Major naval powers raced to build their own dreadnoughts, possession of modern battleships was not only vital to naval power, but also, as with nuclear weapons today, represented a nations standing in the world. The majority of the Royal Navys strength was deployed at home in the Grand Fleet, the Royal Navy and the German Imperial Navy did come into contact, notably in the Battle of Heligoland Bight, and the Battle of Jutland. The inter-war period saw the battleship subjected to strict limitations to prevent a costly arms race breaking out. While the victors were not limited by the Treaty of Versailles and this treaty limited the number and size of battleships that each major nation could possess, and required Britain to accept parity with the U. S. and to abandon the British alliance with Japan. These treaties became obsolete on 1 September 1939 at the beginning of Second World War. The treaty limitations meant that new battleships were launched from 1919–1939 than from 1905–1914. The treaties also inhibited development by putting maximum limits on the weights of ships, designs like the projected British N3-class battleship continued the trend to larger ships with bigger guns and thicker armour, but never got off the drawing board. Those designs which were commissioned during this period were referred to as treaty battleships, after the Second World War, the Royal Navys four surviving King George V-class ships were scrapped in 1957 and Vanguard followed in 1960. All other surviving British battleships had been sold or broken up by 1949, HMS Dreadnought was laid down in October 1905 and completed in December 1906, setting a record for battleship construction that was never equalled. Her new Parsons turbines weighed 300 long tons lighter than similar engines of the same power, the 12-inch main armament was arranged in such a way that only eight of her ten guns could fire a broadside. Once she was launched, the other major naval powers started building Dreadnoughts. Secondary armament, in 1916, consisted of ten 12-pounder guns, during the First World War Dreadnought was the flagship of the Home Fleet, 4th Battle Squadron, based at Scapa Flow. While patrolling the North sea on 18 March 1915, she rammed and sank U-29, the Bellerophon class of ships were the first battleships built after HMS Dreadnought and followed the same design with some minor differences. The foremast was moved to in front of the forward funnel, the armour belt was slightly thinner but protection was improved with the first torpedo bulkheads. In 1917 a 4-inch anti-aircraft gun was added to the after deck, by 1918 they had all been equipped to operate aircraft flying from platforms on A and Y turrets. To increase the speed of construction the St. Vincent class of ships followed the Bellerophons design

9.
List of ironclads of the Royal Navy
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This is a list of ironclads of the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom. An ironclad was a warship in the early part of the second half of the 19th century. The term battleship was not used by the Admiralty until the early 1880s, prior to this point, a wide range of descriptions were used. For the sake of this article, the Royal Sovereign-class are treated as the first pre-dreadnoughts on account of their high freeboard and mixed battery of guns. BU = broken up In the sections listing warships in the English/Royal Navy from 1618 onwards, the Black Battlefleet, published Nautical Publications Co. and Society for Nautical Research,1980. ISBN 0-245-53030-4 Chesnau, Roger and Kolesnik, Eugene Conways All the Worlds Fighting Ships, conway’s All the World’s Fighting Ships, 1906–1921. ISBN 0-85177-245-5 Chesnau, Roger and Gardiner, Robert Conways All the Worlds Fighting Ships, ISBN 1-55750-075-4 Reed, Edward J Our Ironclad Ships, their Qualities, Performance and Cost

10.
List of bomb vessels of the Royal Navy
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Bomb vessels served in the Royal Navy over a period of about 150 years. The concept entered the Navy in the 1680s, based on French designs and usage, bomb vessels were designed to bombard enemy positions on land, such as towns and fortresses. For this they were fitted with one or two mortars that could fire high-trajectory shells over considerable distances and they were fleet support units, and as such were not intended to engage enemy ships directly except in self-defence, and so received only light conventional armament. They could also carry explosive shells in addition to regular shot, the first designs tended to be ketch-rigged, to allow the mortars to fire forward. Though effective, this arrangement made for poor sailing qualities and by 1790 the ship rig had replaced the ketch. While the Navy introduced several purpose-built classes and single ship designs, it augmented this during wartime by buying and converting merchant vessels, or converting some of its own warships. Bomb vessels tended to have a consistent naming policy, being names of volcanoes, or those in some way linked with the concept of hell, examples included Blast, Furnace, Explosion, Fury, Aetna and Vesuvius. The names were re-used several times for different bomb vessels over the decades, bomb vessels went on to serve in other fields as well. Their sturdy design to resist the recoil of their mortars made them desirable ships for polar exploration, racehorse, Furnace, Carcass, Fury, Hecla, Erebus and Terror, among others, all went on to serve as exploration vessels. Eventually, the Royal Navy began to phase out the concept, the last bomb-ship to serve with the Royal Navy was the Sulphur, which had been converted to a survey ship in 1835 and then a receiving ship in 1843 before finally being broken up in 1857. The concept was revisited in a modified form during the Crimean War, bomb vessels were first used by the Royal Navy during the Nine Years War, when French coastal towns such as Dunkirk and St Malo were bombarded by English fleets. The design of the bomb vessels improved considerably during this period, the first generations used fixed mortars, which were aimed by rotating the whole ship. By the end of the war larger mortars were being used, the concept of Royal Navy bomb vessels was first proposed by naval draughtsman Edward Dummer, who observed their French counterparts in action in the 1684 Bombardment of Genoa. Royal approval was granted in 1687 for two Royal Navy bomb vessels, to be built in accordance with Dummers drawings and named Salamander, construction was completed over 1687 and 1688, with Salamander built at Deptford Dockyard and Firedrake at Woolwich. Both vessels were similar to ketches but with two 12 1⁄2 inch mortars installed in fixed positions before the main mast. Firedrake was by far the larger of the two, measuring 279 tonnes burthen with a length of 84 ft 9 in and a keel of 68 ft 0 in. Her initial complement was 50 men, most of these vessels were re-sold after the 1695 Serpent class came into service. As with earlier wars, numbers of existing Royal Navy warships were converted into bomb vessels to serve during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars, and these supplemented the existing fleet, which by 1793 consisted of only the Aetna-class vessels Vesuvius and Terror

11.
List of breastwork monitors of the Royal Navy
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Reed gave these ships a superstructure to increase seaworthiness and raise the freeboard of the gun turrets so they could be worked in all weathers. The superstructure was armoured to protect the bases of the turrets, the funnels, the ships were conceived as harbour defence ships with little need to leave port. This meant that they could dispense with the masts, sails, reed took advantage of the lack of masts and designed the ships with one twin-gun turret at each end of the superstructure, each able to turn and fire in a 270° arc. These ships were described by Admiral George Alexander Ballard as being like full-armoured knights riding on donkeys, easy to avoid, reed later developed the design into the Devastation-class, the first ocean-going turret ships without masts, the direct ancestors of the pre-dreadnought battleships and the dreadnoughts. Reed designed the first ship at the request of the Colony of Victoria, the four Cyclops-class ships, enlarged versions of Cerberus, were ordered in 1870 for local defence of English ports. HMS Glatton was derived from the design of the first breastwork monitors and she was given a deep draught to improve her seaworthiness, but her low freeboard meant that she had very little ability to weather head seas. HMS Hotspur was similar in layout to Glatton, but she was given more freeboard by the addition of a structure above her waterline armour belt. Designed as a ram, Hotspur was given a turret with four gun ports as a rotating turret was not thought capable of withstanding the shock of impact. HMS Rupert was a version of Hotspur, but used a Glatton-type turret instead of the fixed turret. The two Conqueror-class ships were enlarged versions of Rupert with heavier guns, thicker armour and a steel hull, with the exception of Cerberus, all of these ships were sold off for scrap during the first decade of the 20th century. Cerberus was sold in 1924 and used as a breakwater, her still exists off Half Moon Bay in Australia. The two Cerberus-class ships were the first breastwork monitors to be built, Cerberus was ordered in 1866 by the Colony of Victoria to supplement the shore-based fortifications of Port Philip Bay and to defend the colony in the event of a Russian attack. The India Office ordered a ship to defend the approaches of Bombay. Magdala was rearmed with four 8-inch breech-loading guns in 1892 while Cerberus had a number of small quick-firing guns added to her superstructure for defence against torpedo boats. Both ships were fitted with three masts for their delivery voyages, although only Cerberus had her freeboard raised with the addition of temporary bulwarks. The ships spent the bulk of their lives in reserve and rarely, if ever. Magdala was sold in January 1903, but Cerberus was hulked in 1900 and she was renamed HMAS Platypus II in 1918 and sold in 1924. Stripped of all material, she was scuttled in 1926 as a breakwater

12.
List of cruiser classes of the Royal Navy
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This is a list of cruisers of the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom from 1877 until the last cruiser was deleted more than a century later. There are no longer any cruisers in the Royal Navy, armoured cruisers were protected by a belt of side armour and an armoured deck. In the Royal Navy this classification was not actually used, the term first class cruiser being used instead for both armoured cruisers and large protected cruisers. Thus, the first class built between the Orlando class and the Cressy class were, strictly speaking, protected cruisers as they lacked an armoured belt. The ships below are all protected cruisers, but were rated as second, the third class cruiser was not expected to operate with the fleet, was substantially smaller than the second class and lacked the watertight double-bottom of the latter. Essentially there were two distinct groups - the eight vessels all ordered under the 1903 Programme, and the seven later vessels ordered under the 1907-1910 Programmes, the advent of better machinery and larger, faster destroyers and light cruisers effectively made them obsolete. The Town class of 1910 were rated as second-class protected cruisers, the Arethusa class of 1913 were the first oil-only fired class. This meant that the arrangement of coal bunkers in the hull could no longer be relied upon as protection and this makes the Arethusas the first true example of the warship that came to be recognised as the light cruiser. In the London Naval Treaty of 1930, light cruisers were defined as cruisers having guns of 6.1 inches calibre or less. The earlier Hawkins class were therefore classified as such, although they had been initially built as improved light cruisers. Cavendish or Hawkins class 9,860 tons, 7-7

13.
List of torpedo boat classes of the Royal Navy
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This is a list of torpedo boat classes of the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom, organised chronologically by entry into service. The Royal Navy purchased 1st and 2nd class torpedo boats for offensive and defensive combat roles, later – especially against the French automobile defense – the British primarily ordered torpedo boat catchers and torpedo gun boats, in the final torpedo boat destroyers or destroyers. First class torpedo boats were designed for independent inshore operations and they were small, but large enough to patrol coastal waters and enjoy some limited endurance beyond their supporting port or tender. Thornycroft & Company No.21 - No.22 Yarrow & Company, thornycroft & Company No.91 - No.92 No.93 J. Samuel White No.94 - No.96 Laird Brothers, Birkenhead No.97 John I. The later boats were designed as harbour defence ships and coastal boats, thornycroft & Company No.51 - No.62 Herreshoff Manufacturing Company, Bristol RI No.63 John I. Thornycroft & Company No.64 - No.73 Yarrow & Company, thornycroft & Company No.76 - No.95 Yarrow & Company, Limited No. Thornycroft & Company No.98 No,99, No. Conway Maritime Press,1979. ISBN 0-8317-0302-4 Dittmar, F. J. and Colledge, J. J, British Destroyers, From Earliest Days to the Second World War

14.
List of fireships of the Royal Navy
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Fireships served in the Royal Navy over a period of several centuries. Fire was a hazard on the wooden warships of the time. Both sides used fireships in a number of engagements during the Anglo–Spanish War, fireships reappeared in unconventional forms during the English Civil War, and were used in earnest during the Anglo-Dutch Wars, particularly to great effect in 1666 during Holmess Bonfire. Interest in the fireship declined during the eighteenth century, though new vessels continued to be taken into service, they did not play a significant role in either the Seven Years War or the American War of Independence. The vessels employed by the navy in the role were very varied. They were initially often converted warships or merchant vessels between 60 and 90 feet in length, despite their rating, most served as sloops or frigates, only being fitted with combustible materials when there was the intention to expend them. The ships used were purchased and converted vessels, as it was not considered cost-effective to build new ships with the intention of burning them when a cheaper option existed. Purpose-built fireships were therefore a rarity, though classes were built during the eighteenth. Ships boats were used for a purpose, carrying parties of men with combustible materials over to enemy ships. New methods of attack were being pioneered by the nineteenth century. The Raid on Boulogne in 1804 used fireships, but also new devices designed by Robert Fulton, by the time of the attack at the Basque Roads, fireships were being used to fire rockets as well. While they served with the Royal Navy fireships tended to be given names associated with fire, for example, examples included Spitfire, Torch, Vulcan, Furnace, Aetna and Vesuvius. The success of the Dutch fireship attack in 1672 led to the first enquiries from the Admiralty about the possibility of producing a purpose-built fireship design. Though this did not result in any new ships the idea was revisited in 1689 with the construction of twelve fireships, similar to existing fifth rates, a further eight vessels were ordered in 1690, with two more in 1693 and another one in 1694. The Speedwell was broken up to be rebuilt as a rate in 1715. The Phoenix of 1694 was rebuilt in 1709, but was reclassified as a rate in 1711. These three vessels became the last purpose-built fireships in the navy until the 1780s, though numbers of vessels were taken up, several frigates were re-rated as fireships during the early years of the eighteenth century, but continued to operate in the cruiser role. In common with the vessels they were mostly employed as sloops

15.
List of frigate classes of the Royal Navy
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This is a list of frigate classes of the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom in chronological order from the formal creation of the Royal Navy following the Restoration in 1660. Where the word class or group is not shown, the vessel was a design with just that vessel completed to the design. The list excludes vessels captured from other navies and added to the Royal Navy, all frigates built for the Royal Navy up to 1877 are listed below. The term frigate was resuscitated in World War II and subsequent classes are listed at the end of this article, but the individual ships within those classes are not listed in this article. The name originated at the end of the 16th century, the first frigats being generally small, fast-sailing craft, in particular those employed by Flemish privateers based on Dunkirk and Flushing. Subsequently, the term was applied to any vessel with these characteristics, as the Royal Navy was not officially created until 1660, vessels from the preceding era are only included where they survived past 1660. Prizes taken from enemy forces and added to the Royal Navy are also excluded. Fifth rates were essentially two-decked vessels, with their main battery on the lower deck, vessels of 1651 Programme, Drake - launched 1652. Roebuck - launched 24 July 1666, designed and built by Anthony Deane at Portsmouth Saudadoes - launched 28 October 1669. Designed and built by Sir Anthony Deane at Blackwall Lark - launched 11 June 1675, for ships before the 1745 Establishment, the term class is inappropriate as individual design was left up to the master shipwright in each Royal dockyard. For other vessels, the Surveyor of the Navy produced a design for ships which were to be built under a commercial contract rather than in a Royal Dockyard. Consequently, the group is used as more applicable for ships built to similar specifications. HMS Mermaid 1689 -32 guns, Experiment group - 32-gun fifth rates 1689-1691 HMS Experiment 1689 HMS Pembroke 1690 HMS Milford 1690 HMS Portsmouth 1690 HMS Sheerness 1691 HMS Adventure 1691 -40 guns. HMS England purchased 1693 -40 guns, HMS Charles Galley 1693 -32 guns. The Navy Board ordered sixteen of these vessels between 1705 and 1711 as 42-gun vessels, the remaining pair - Looe and Diamond - were not ordered but rather the Navy Board purchased them on the stocks from the shipbuilder who had commenced building them on spec. All the vessels were armed under the 1703 Guns Establishment with a battery of 9-pounder guns. Under the 1716 Guns Establishment, a 40-gun ship with a battery of 12-pounder guns superseded the 42-gun ship. Hence, the last six of the ships listed below were completed as 40-gun ships, before 1714, many small sixth rates carried fewer than 20 guns, and these have been excluded from this list

16.
List of gun-brigs of the Royal Navy
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In general these were vessels of under 200 tons burthen, and thus smaller than the more common Cherokee-class brig-sloops or the even larger Cruizer-class brig-sloops. The gun-brigs generally carried 12 guns, comprising two long guns in the position and ten carronades on the broadsides. The earliest gun-brigs were shallow-draught vessels, initially they were not brigs at all, but were classed as gunvessels and carried a schooner or brigantine rig. They were re-rigged as brigs about 1796 and re-classed under the new term gun-brig, the 1797 batch introduced means to improve their sailing ability. The broadside weapons consisted of 18-pounder carronades mounted on slides along both sides, the later gun-brigs developed from this beginning into smaller versions of the brig-sloops with increased draught and seaworthiness, but were less suited for inshore warfare. By now they were seen as small versions of the brig-sloop rather than enlarged gunboats. The early gun-brigs were seen as inshore and coastal vessels, and saw their first service in operations, notably in the Channel. The final batch saw the complement raised to 60, other petty officers included a ropemaker, sailmaker, clerk, quartermaster and quartermasters mate. There were fifteen marines on board - a sergeant to command, a corporal, the rest of the crew were ranked as seamen - able seamen, ordinary seamen or landsmen. The naval historian and novelist C. S, the following sub-sections describe the sequence of the gun-brigs built to individual designs from the earliest acquisitions of 1793 until the last gun-brigs joined the Navy in 1813. Three vessels of about 140 tons each were purchased in 1793,1, GB No.2 and GB No.3. No further details were recorded, but their existence probably explains why the initial numbering of the Acute class below began with GB No.4. The first batch of twelve gun-brigs were all built by contract to a design by Surveyor of the Navy Sir John Henslow, and ordered on 6 March 1794, they were all named and registered on 26 May. They were designed to be rowed as well as sailed, for which purpose they carried a brig rig, the 4-pounders were soon deleted, making them all 12-gun vessels. From March 1795 all twelve of the class were attached to the Inshore Squadron commanded by Captain Sir Sidney Smith, a further design by John Henslow, to which fifteen vessels were ordered on 7 February 1797. In this design, the breadth was increased by a foot from the Conquest class, all were brig-rigged and received Schank sliding or drop keels. Initially these were intended to be classed as gunboats, and were given numbers rather than names and they carried the same armament as their predecessors. At the same time as John Henslow was designing the Acute class, his colleague, Rules design too incorporated a Schank drop or sliding keel

17.
List of gunboats and gunvessels of the Royal Navy
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For gun-brigs see List of gun-brigs of the Royal Navy This is a list of gunboat and gunvessel classes of the Royal Navy. e. They had a keel, stem and stern posts, and iron framing. The first two were towed to Bermuda where they served as harbour vessels, vixen was the first twin-screw vessel built for the Royal Navy, and Waterwitch employed a form of water pump propulsion. Vixen Viper Waterwitch Staunch class Plucky class Ant class - Gadfly, a third vessel of the class was retained by Prussia. This section includes two early iron-hulled screw gunvessels ordered in May 1845, which in other respects were half-sisters to two wooden-hulled gunvessels ordered at the same time, the four vessels comprised the first-class gunvessels Rifleman and Sharpshooter, and the second-class gunvessels Teazer and Minx. Further vessels ordered later to the design were either cancelled or built to very different concepts. Rifleman and Sharpshooter were re-classed as sloops in 1854, arrow class - originally rated as despatch vessels, these six ships were re-classed as second-class gunvessels in 1856. e. They had a keel, stem and stern posts, and iron framing. Curlew class Colledge, J. J. Warlow, Ben, Ships of the Royal Navy, The Complete Record of all Fighting Ships of the Royal Navy. The Sail and Steam Navy List, All the Ships of the Royal Navy 1815–1889

18.
List of monitors of the Royal Navy
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This is a list of monitors of the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom. Three of the ships, HMS General Wolfe, Lord Clive, the Marshal Ney-class monitors were built to utilise the two modern 15-inch turrets made available by the redesign of Renown and Repulse as battlecruisers. The Gorgon-class monitors were built as coastal defence ships for the Royal Norwegian Navy. The M29-class monitors were five ships ordered in March 1915, as part of the War Emergency Programmeof ship construction, the Erebus-class monitors were two ships mounting a single twin BL15 inch Mk I naval gun turret

19.
List of Royal Yachts of the United Kingdom
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This is a list of royal yachts of the United Kingdom. There have been 84 royal yachts since the restoration of the monarchy in 1660, king Charles II had 25 royal yachts and five were simultaneously in service in 1831. Occasionally merchantmen or warships have been chartered or assigned for duty as a temporary royal yacht, for example the steamship Ophir in 1901. In 1997 HMY Britannia was decommissioned and not replaced, since 1998, following a successful national tender process, the Royal Yacht Britannia has been berthed permanently at the Port of Leith in Edinburgh. There are currently no British royal yachts, although MV Hebridean Princess has been used by the Royal Family, fenwick, Valerie and Gale, Alison, Historic Shipwrecks, Discovered, Protected and Investigated, pp112–113 Tempus Publishing Limited, ISBN 0-7524-1473-9. Describes the Mary and mentions Katherine and Phineas Pett, visitor attraction and evening events venue. The list of Navy vessels for December 1695 The £1. 4-million yacht Hebridian Princess This yacht was chartered by the Queen for her 80th Birthday, formerly the MacBrayne ferry Columba built in 1964, converted to a miniature cruise ship for just 49 passengers in 1989. The £50-million Motor Yacht Leander Chartered by Prince of Wales for visit to Caribbean in March 2008, Chartered yacht instead of jet was to demonstrate his concern for the environment

20.
List of ships of the line of the Royal Navy
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This is a list of ships of the line of the Royal Navy of England, and later of Great Britain, and the United Kingdom. Prince Royal 92 – taken and burnt by the Dutch 1666, Charles 96 – renamed St George 1687, re-classed as second rate 1691, rebuilt 1701. St Andrew 96 – renamed Royal Anne when rebuilt 1704, London 96 – broken up 1701. Prince 100 – repaired and renamed Royal William 1692, rebuilt 1719, Royal James 100 – burned in action 1672. Royal Charles 100 – repaired and renamed Queen 1693, rebuilt, Royal James 100 – renamed Victory 1691, then Royal George 1714, then Victory again in 1715, burnt by accident 1721. Royal Katherine 76 – rebuilt 1702, Royal Oak 76 – burned by the Dutch 1667. Loyal London 80 – burned by the Dutch 1667, Victory 76 – broken up 1691. French Ruby 66 – a prize, Le Rubis, captured from the French, hulked 1682 after storm damage, St Michael 90 – re-classed as a first rate 1692, then back to a second rate 1689, rebuilt and renamed Marlborough in 1708. Clove Tree 62 – a prize, Nagelboom, captured from the Dutch, house of Sweeds 70 – a prize captured from the Dutch, sunk as a blockship in the Thames 1667. Golden Phoenix 70 – a prize captured from the Dutch, sunk as a blockship in the Thames 1667, slothany 60 – a prize captured from the Dutch, hulked 1667, sold 1686. Helverson 60 – a prize captured from the Dutch, sunk as a blockship in the Medway 1667, defiance 64 – burned by accident 1668. Royal Oak 70 – rebuilt 1713, arms of Rotterdam 60 – a prize captured from the Dutch, hulked 1675, broken up 1703. Montague 62 – built as Lyme in 1654, rebuilt as Montague in 1675, renamed HMS Bonaventure in 1660, rebuilt in 1666 and broken up for a rebuild in 1711. Re-launched in 1711 as a 50-gun fourth rate, renamed Argyll in 1715, rebuilt in 1722 and sunk as a breakwater in 1748 West Friesland 54 – a prize, Westfriesland, captured from the Dutch, sold 1667. Seven Oaks 52 – a prize, Zevenwolden, captured from the Dutch, Charles V52 – a prize, Carolus Quintus, captured from the Dutch, burned by them 1667. Guilder de Ruyter 50 – a prize, Geldersche Ruiter, captured from the Dutch, maria Sancta 50 – a prize, Sint Marie, captured from the Dutch, burned by them 1667. Mars 50 – a prize, Mars, captured from the Dutch, delfe 48 – a prize, Delft, captured from the Dutch, sold 1668. St Paul 48 – a prize, Sint Paulus, captured from the Dutch, hope 44 – a prize, Hoop, captured from the Dutch, wrecked 1666

21.
List of support ships of the Royal Navy
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This is a list of support ships of the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom. There are currently no active ships, in World War I, obsolete hulks and cruisers were generally used for maintenance and support. Many commercial vessels were taken up from trade during both wars to act as depot ships, the first ship built specifically for the role was the Medway of 1928. Converted ships below are given with dates of conversion, HMS Hazard – converted in 1901 into the worlds first submarine depot ship HMS Sandhurst – converted from Brocklebank Line steamship Manipur

22.
List of survey vessels of the Royal Navy
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HMS Protector which carries the survey motor boat James Caird IV. HMS Scott Echo class multi–purpose survey vessels HMS Echo which carries SMB Sapphire, HMS Enterprise which carries SMB Spitfire. Hydrographic Survey Work in the Royal Navy up to the 1980s

23.
List of Royal Navy shore establishments
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This is a list of shore establishments of the Royal Navy and Royal Naval Reserve. Operational HQ for Commander in Chief Fleet Formerly Royal Naval Armaments Depot and formally elements of Defence Equipment, RNH Simons Town, South Africa RNH Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China. The Telecommunications Research Establishment moved into Duke in 1946 and is now a QinetiQ research site, post-WWII HMS Royal Arthur, Petty Officers training school, Butlins Skegness, later Corsham, Wiltshire HMS Royal Charlotte, Wireless Station, Cuxhaven, Germany. HMS Terror was the next to the naval base, while the nearby HMS Simbang was a RN Air Station

24.
List of squadrons and flotillas of the Royal Navy
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This is a List of squadrons and flotillas of the Royal Navy. 1st Aircraft Carrier Squadron - British Pacific Fleet 2nd Aircraft Carrier Squadron - Home Fleet 3rd Aircraft Carrier Squadron - listed in Flight,20 April 1951, commanded at the time by then Rear-Admiral Caspar John. 11th Aircraft Carrier Squadron - Rear Admiral Cecil Harcourt hoisted his flag in HMS Colossus in August 1945 and this force was sent to re-occupy Hong Kong. 21st Aircraft Carrier Squadron - East Indies Station 30th Aircraft Carrier Squadron - Fleet Train, British Pacific Fleet, 1st Battle Squadron-1914 Grand Fleet 2nd Battle Squadron-1914 Grand Fleet,1919 Atlantic Fleet. 2nd Battlecruiser Squadron-1914 Mediterranean Fleet,1915 Grand Fleet, 3rd Battlecruiser Squadron-1915 Grand Fleet British Battlecruiser Squadron-1919-1932 Atlantic Fleet-1932 Home Fleet. Starting around the time that steam cruisers became popular in the 1870s, Squadrons were commanded by a Rear-Admiral whose title was given as Flag Officer Cruiser Squadron n, or CSn for short. In the main fighting fleets members of a squadron were normally of the same or similar classes. The use of Cruiser Squadrons died out as the number of such ships decreased following World War II, 1st Cruiser Squadron-1939 Mediterranean Fleet, Second World War and afterwards - Mountbatten. 2nd Cruiser Squadron -1914 Grand Fleet, HMS Minotaur, HMS Hampshire, HMS Shannon,1932 Home Fleet in the interwar period. HMS Dorsetshire, HMS York and HMS Exeter in 1932, post World War II Flag Officer Commanding was for a period an additional appointment for Flag Officer Second in Command Far East Fleet. 6th Cruiser Squadron-1939 South Atlantic Station 7th Cruiser Squadron-1940 Mediterranean Fleet HMS Gloucester, HMS Neptune, HMS Orion, HMAS Sydney, on 21 June 1940, Bardia was bombarded by the 7th Cruiser Squadron of the Mediterranean Fleet. However the bombardment is reported to have only caused minimal damage, Flag at one point in HMS Loch Killisport. On 21 November 1960, the 3rd Frigate Squadron, together for the last time, 4th Frigate Squadron - postwar with Far East Fleet. Made up of Amazon class frigates in the 1980s, 2nd Submarine Squadron - HMNB Devonport, Plymouth. 3rd Submarine Squadron - HMNB Clyde, Faslane, 4th Submarine Squadron - with China Station 1939. Trincomalee May 1944, Perth, Australia, after October 1944 supported by the depot ship HMS Adamant, the 4th Submarine Squadron, which included T class submarines, was disbanded on 10 January 1969 when the 1st Australian Submarine Squadron comprising HMAS Otway and HMAS Oxley was founded. HMS Trump departed Sydney for the United Kingdom that day, 6th Submarine Squadron - Nova Scotia. 10th Submarine Squadron - strategic nuclear submarines based HMNB Clyde

25.
List of early warships of the English Navy
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This is a list of early warships belonging to the English sovereign or the English Government, the precursor to the Royal Navy of England. These include major and minor warships from 1485 until 1660, the latter being the year in which the Royal Navy came formally into existence with the Restoration of Charles II. Between Charles Is execution in 1649 and the Restoration eleven years later, BU = broken up The dates for ships before 1485 are probably listed using the contemporary English convention of the first day of the year being 25 March. All dates are given in the Julian Calendar, Note that almost every vessel listed had the words of the Tower affixed to its name. This affix was simply the equivalent of the modern prefix HMS and is omitted below, Note also that the number of guns quoted in most sources comprised almost entirely small iron weapons created from wrought material bound into barrels by iron hoops. These were exclusively anti-personnel weaponry, very few weapons were carried. Where applicable, number of main guns follows name, Note that long-lived ships could be rearmed several times. Many earlier ships went through repairs and rebuildings during which their dimensions. Accordingly, the figures have been omitted, the concept of cutting gunports into the lower deck emerged early in the period, and relatively few heavy guns were carried. Even the largest would only have heavy guns numbering in single figures, the first three of these were rebuilt in 1557–58 and classed as pinnaces, the next five named above were sold in 1548–49 and the last five were condemned in 1552. Notwithstanding the considerable number of minor additions below, few significant vessels were added during this reign. Except where a fate is stated below, all the following were listed as kings ships in the year quoted in brackets. Galleons Note that the Primrose and Victory, purchased in 1560, were classed as ships rather than galleons. Elizabeth Jonas 56 - rebuilt in 1597–98 Hope 34 - rebuilt in 1604 Triumph - rebuilt in 1595–96 White Bear 40 - rebuilt in 1598–99 Bonaventure - sometimes called Elizabeth Bonaventure, rebuilt 1608 when renamed Anne Royal, wrecked 1636. Mary Rose 38 - condemned 1618, armed with set of 12 matched cannon, unlike the mixed cannon usually used at the time. Site discovered and several cannon recovered in 2009 Flight - not listed after 1592, for many early warships, the published number of guns included smaller anti-personnel weapons, whereas for strict comparison with later data only carriage-mounted heavy guns should be included. The major ships are included in pages 158–159 of The Ship of the Line, Volume I, by Brian Lavery, published by Conways,1983, ISBN 0-85177-252-8. Lesser warships are taken from A History of the Administration on the Royal Navy 1509–1660, by Michael Oppenheim, published by the Bodley Head,1896

26.
List of warships of the Scots Navy
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This is a list of warships of the Royal Scots Navy, the navy of the Kingdom of Scotland prior to the Acts of Union 1707. For its continuation after this period, see List of ship names of the Royal Navy,1535, captured from the English, and used in the Scots Navy until she was recaptured. Janet 12 guns ship captured by the French July 10,1689, Royal William - a Fifth-rate 32-gun frigate. Flagship of Captain Thomas Gordon, Commodore of the Navy, became HMS Edinburgh in 1707, William II Royal Mary - a Sixth-rate 24 gun frigate. List of early warships of the English Navy Rif Winfield, British Warships in the Age of Sail 1603-1714, Design, Construction, Careers & Fates

27.
United Kingdom
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The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom or Britain, is a sovereign country in western Europe. Lying off the north-western coast of the European mainland, the United Kingdom includes the island of Great Britain, Northern Ireland is the only part of the United Kingdom that shares a land border with another sovereign state‍—‌the Republic of Ireland. The Irish Sea lies between Great Britain and Ireland, with an area of 242,500 square kilometres, the United Kingdom is the 78th-largest sovereign state in the world and the 11th-largest in Europe. It is also the 21st-most populous country, with an estimated 65.1 million inhabitants, together, this makes it the fourth-most densely populated country in the European Union. The United Kingdom is a monarchy with a parliamentary system of governance. The monarch is Queen Elizabeth II, who has reigned since 6 February 1952, other major urban areas in the United Kingdom include the regions of Birmingham, Leeds, Glasgow, Liverpool and Manchester. The United Kingdom consists of four countries—England, Scotland, Wales, the last three have devolved administrations, each with varying powers, based in their capitals, Edinburgh, Cardiff and Belfast, respectively. The relationships among the countries of the UK have changed over time, Wales was annexed by the Kingdom of England under the Laws in Wales Acts 1535 and 1542. A treaty between England and Scotland resulted in 1707 in a unified Kingdom of Great Britain, which merged in 1801 with the Kingdom of Ireland to form the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. Five-sixths of Ireland seceded from the UK in 1922, leaving the present formulation of the United Kingdom of Great Britain, there are fourteen British Overseas Territories. These are the remnants of the British Empire which, at its height in the 1920s, British influence can be observed in the language, culture and legal systems of many of its former colonies. The United Kingdom is a country and has the worlds fifth-largest economy by nominal GDP. The UK is considered to have an economy and is categorised as very high in the Human Development Index. It was the worlds first industrialised country and the worlds foremost power during the 19th, the UK remains a great power with considerable economic, cultural, military, scientific and political influence internationally. It is a nuclear weapons state and its military expenditure ranks fourth or fifth in the world. The UK has been a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council since its first session in 1946 and it has been a leading member state of the EU and its predecessor, the European Economic Community, since 1973. However, on 23 June 2016, a referendum on the UKs membership of the EU resulted in a decision to leave. The Acts of Union 1800 united the Kingdom of Great Britain, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have devolved self-government

28.
Her Majesty's Naval Service
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Her Majestys Naval Service, also known as the Senior Service, is the United Kingdoms naval warfare and maritime service. It consists of the Royal Navy, Royal Marines, Naval Careers Service, Royal Marines Band Service, the term Naval Service should be distinguished from the UK Naval Services, which consist of the Naval Service and the Merchant Navy. The Naval Service as a whole falls under the command of the Navy Board and this position is currently held by Admiral Sir Phillip Jones. The Defence Council delegates administration of the Naval Service to the Admiralty Board, the total displacement of HM Naval Service and the Royal Fleet Auxiliary is approximately 641,000 tonnes. The Royal Fleet Auxiliary is considered part of the Ministry of Defence Civil Service, the Navy has been structured around a single fleet since the abolition of the Eastern and Western fleets in 1971. Command of deployable assets is exercised by the Commander-in-Chief Fleet, who also has authority over the Royal Marines, personnel matters are the responsibility of the Second Sea Lord/Commander-in-Chief Naval Home Command, an appointment usually held by a vice-admiral. The United Kingdoms nuclear deterrent is carried aboard the navys Vanguard-class of four nuclear ballistic-missile submarines, the surface fleet consists of destroyers, frigates, amphibious assault ships, patrol ships, mine-countermeasures, and miscellaneous vessels. The submarine service has existed within the Royal Navy for more than 100 years, the service possessed a combined fleet of diesel-electric and nuclear-powered submarines until the early 1990s. Following the Options for Change defence review, the Upholder class diesel-electric submarines were withdrawn, the infantry component of the Naval Service is the Corps of Royal Marines. Consisting of a single brigade and various independent units, the Royal Marines specialise in amphibious, arctic. The Commando Logistic Regiment consists of personnel from the Army, Royal Marines, the Royal Fleet Auxiliary is a civilian-manned fleet owned by the British Ministry of Defence. The RFA enables ships of the Royal Navy to maintain operations around the world and its primary role is to supply the Royal Navy with fuel, ammunition and supplies, normally by replenishment at sea. It also transports Army and Royal Marine personnel, as well as supporting training exercises, the RFA is funded out of the UK defence budget and the Commodore commanding the RFA is directly responsible to the Royal Navy Fleet Commander. The Royal Fleet Auxiliary also augments the Royal Navys amphibious warfare capabilities through its three Bay-class landing ship dock vessels, the service is manned by around 1,850 civilian personnel. Serco Denholm took over Marine Services to the Naval Service from the now disbanded Royal Maritime Auxiliary Service in 2008, in late 2009 Serco bought out Denholms share, with the service now being known as Serco Marine Services

29.
British Armed Forces
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They also promote Britains wider interests, support international peacekeeping efforts, and provide humanitarian aid. Repeatedly emerging victorious from conflicts has allowed Britain to establish itself as one of the leading military. The Commander-in-chief of the British Armed Forces is the British monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, the UK Parliament approves the continued existence of the armed forces by passing an Armed Forces Act at least once every five years, as required by the Bill of Rights 1689. The armed forces are managed by the Defence Council of the Ministry of Defence, with the Acts of Union 1707, the armed forces of England and Scotland were merged into the armed forces of the Kingdom of Great Britain. Britain feared that Russian expansionism in the region would eventually threaten the Empire in India and this ultimately led to British involvement in the Crimean War against the Russian Empire. The beginning of the twentieth century served to reduce tensions between Britain and the Russian Empire, partly due to the emergence of a unified German Empire. Allied victory resulted in the defeat of the Central Powers, the end of the German Empire, the Treaty of Versailles, once again tensions accumulated in European relations, and following Germanys invasion of Poland in September 1939, the Second World War began. The conflict was the most widespread in British history, with British Empire and Commonwealth troops fighting in campaigns from Europe and North Africa, to the Middle East, approximately 390,000 British Empire and Commonwealth troops lost their lives. Allied victory resulted in the defeat of the Axis powers and the establishment of the United Nations, reflecting Britains new role in the world and the escalation of the Cold War, the country became a founding member of the NATO military alliance in 1949. By the mid-1970s, the forces had reconfigured to focus on the responsibilities allocated to them by NATO. While NATO obligations took increased prominence, Britain nonetheless found itself engaged in a number of low-intensity conflicts, however the Dhofar Rebellion and The Troubles emerged as the primary operational concerns of the armed forces. Perhaps the most important conflict during the Cold War, at least in the context of British defence policy, was the Falklands War. Since the end of the Cold War, an international role for the armed forces has been pursued, with re-structuring to deliver a greater focus on expeditionary warfare. In addition to the campaign, the British Army has trained and supplied allies on the ground. Figures released by the Ministry of Defence on 31 March 2016 show that 7,185 British Armed Forces personnel have lost their lives in medal earning theatres since the end of the Second World War. As Sovereign and head of state, Queen Elizabeth II is Head of the Armed Forces, the Queen, however, remains the ultimate authority of the military, with officers and personnel swearing allegiance to the monarch. It has been claimed that this includes the power to prevent unconstitutional use of the armed forces, responsibility for the management of the forces is delegated to a number of committees, the Defence Council, Chiefs of Staff Committee, Defence Management Board and three single-service boards. The Defence Council, composed of representatives of the services

30.
Royal Navy
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The Royal Navy is the United Kingdoms naval warfare force. Although warships were used by the English kings from the medieval period. The modern Royal Navy traces its origins to the early 16th century, from the middle decades of the 17th century and through the 18th century, the Royal Navy vied with the Dutch Navy and later with the French Navy for maritime supremacy. From the mid 18th century it was the worlds most powerful navy until surpassed by the United States Navy during the Second World War. The Royal Navy played a key part in establishing the British Empire as the world power during the 19th. Due to this historical prominence, it is common, even among non-Britons, following World War I, the Royal Navy was significantly reduced in size, although at the onset of the Second World War it was still the worlds largest. By the end of the war, however, the United States Navy had emerged as the worlds largest, during the Cold War, the Royal Navy transformed into a primarily anti-submarine force, hunting for Soviet submarines, mostly active in the GIUK gap. The Royal Navy is part of Her Majestys Naval Service, which includes the Royal Marines. The professional head of the Naval Service is the First Sea Lord, the Defence Council delegates management of the Naval Service to the Admiralty Board, chaired by the Secretary of State for Defence. The strength of the fleet of the Kingdom of England was an important element in the power in the 10th century. English naval power declined as a result of the Norman conquest. Medieval fleets, in England as elsewhere, were almost entirely composed of merchant ships enlisted into service in time of war. Englands naval organisation was haphazard and the mobilisation of fleets when war broke out was slow, early in the war French plans for an invasion of England failed when Edward III of England destroyed the French fleet in the Battle of Sluys in 1340. Major fighting was confined to French soil and Englands naval capabilities sufficed to transport armies and supplies safely to their continental destinations. Such raids halted finally only with the occupation of northern France by Henry V. Henry VII deserves a large share of credit in the establishment of a standing navy and he embarked on a program of building ships larger than heretofore. He also invested in dockyards, and commissioned the oldest surviving dry dock in 1495 at Portsmouth, a standing Navy Royal, with its own secretariat, dockyards and a permanent core of purpose-built warships, emerged during the reign of Henry VIII. Under Elizabeth I England became involved in a war with Spain, the new regimes introduction of Navigation Acts, providing that all merchant shipping to and from England or her colonies should be carried out by English ships, led to war with the Dutch Republic. In the early stages of this First Anglo-Dutch War, the superiority of the large, heavily armed English ships was offset by superior Dutch tactical organisation and the fighting was inconclusive

31.
Royal Navy Surface Fleet
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The Surface Fleet is the name given to the collection of surface vessels of the Royal Navy. At present it consists of two based at HMNB Portsmouth and HMNB Devonport, both located on the south coast of England, and a flotilla based at HMNB Clyde, Faslane. The surface fleet is engaged in numerous operations a worldwide basis. Closer to home, the fleet also conducts Fishery Protection Patrols around UK waters. The Fishery Protection Squadron is the largest front line squadron in the Royal Navy, list of active Royal Navy ships Standing Royal Navy deployments Royal Navy Surface Fleet official website MaritimeQuest Royal Navy Index

32.
Fleet Air Arm
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The Fleet Air Arm is the branch of the British Royal Navy responsible for the operation of naval aircraft. The Fleet Air Arm currently operates the AgustaWestland Merlin, Westland Sea King, and AgustaWestland Wildcat helicopters, helicopters such as the Lynx and Westland Wasp have been deployed on smaller vessels since 1964, taking over the roles once performed by biplanes such as the Fairey Swordfish. During the Second World War, the Fleet Air Arm operated aircraft on ships as well as land-based aircraft that defended the Royal Navys shore establishments, British naval flying started in 1909, with the construction of an airship for naval duties. The Naval Wing of the RFC lasted until July 1914 when the Royal Navy reformed its air branch, under the Air Department of the Admiralty, naming it the Royal Naval Air Service. By the outbreak of the First World War, in August 1914, the RNAS had more aircraft under its control than the remaining RFC. In April 1918 the RNAS, which at this time had 67,000 officers and men,2,949 aircraft,103 airships and 126 coastal stations, merged with the RFC to form the Royal Air Force. On 1 April 1924, the Fleet Air Arm of the Royal Air Force was formed, encompassing those RAF units that normally embarked on aircraft carriers, over the following months RAF Fleet Air Arm Fairey IIID reconnaissance biplanes operated off Hermes, conducting flying trials. On 24 May 1939 the Fleet Air Arm was returned to Admiralty control under the Inskip Award, at the onset of the Second World War, the Fleet Air Arm consisted of 20 squadrons with only 232 aircraft. By the end of the war the strength of the Fleet Air Arm was 59 aircraft carriers,3,700 aircraft,72,000 officers and men. During the war, the FAA operated fighters, torpedo bombers, following the Dunkirk evacuation and the commencement of the Battle of Britain, the Royal Air Force soon found itself critically short of fighter pilots. In the summer of 1940, the RAF had little more than 800 fighter pilots, with this desperate situation the RAF was forced to call upon the Admiralty for Fleet Air Arm assistance. The aircraft carrier had replaced the battleship as the Fleets capital ship, the top scoring fighter ace with 17 victories was Commander Stanley Orr, the Royal Marine ace was Ronald Cuthbert Hay with 13 victories. A number of Royal Marines served as FAA pilots during the war, after the war the FAA needed to fly jet aircraft from their carriers. The jet aircraft of the era were considerably less effective at low speeds than propeller aircraft, the FAA took on its first jet, the Sea Vampire, in the late 1940s. The Sea Vampire was the first jet credited with taking off, the Air Arm continued with high-powered prop aircraft alongside the new jets resulting in the FAA being woefully outpowered during the Korean War. Nevertheless, jets were not yet wholly superior to propeller aircraft, as jets became larger, more powerful and faster they required more space to take off and land. The US Navy simply built much larger carriers, the Royal Navy had a few large carriers built and completed after the end of the war but another solution was sought. An associated British invention, intended to more precise optical guidance to aircraft on final approaching the deck, was the Fresnel lens optical landing aid

33.
Royal Navy Submarine Service
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The Royal Navy Submarine Service is the submarine element of the Royal Navy. It is sometimes known as the Silent Service, as the submarines are generally required to operate undetected, the service operates seven fleet submarines, of the Trafalgar and Astute classes, and four ballistic missile submarines, of the Vanguard class. All of these submarines are nuclear powered, the service also owns the LR5 Submarine Rescue System. Since 1993 the post of Flag Officer Submarines has been dual-hatted with the post of Commander Operations, the service was for many years located at HMS Dolphin in Hampshire. It moved from Dolphin to the Northwood Headquarters in 1978, the Submarine School is now at HMS Raleigh at Torpoint in Cornwall. At the beginning of the 20th century, the idea of warfare was considered by senior personnel in the Admiralty to be Underhand, unfair. But since other navies were developing submarines, the Royal Navy had no choice but to do the same, launching its first design, Holland 1, in 1901. On 30 August 1939 Rear Admiral Submarines, Rear Admiral Bertram Watson, moved his headquarters from Gosport to Aberdour, Scotland, the RN started the Second World War with 60 submarines. On 31 August 1939 Second Submarine Flotilla at Dundee and Sixth Submarine Flotilla at Blyth were part of the Home Fleet, roskill writes that the effective naval strength of the British Empire on the outbreak of war included 38 submarines. In January 1940, Vice-Admiral Max Horton was made Rear Admiral Submarines, hortons biographer, Rear Admiral William S. In the Mediterranean, British U-class submarines began operations against Italy as early as January 1941, larger submarines began operations in 1940, but after 50% losses per mission, they were withdrawn. U-class submarines operated from the Manoel Island Base known as HMS Talbot, unfortunately no bomb-proof pens were available as the building project had been scrapped before the war, owing to cost-cutting policies. The new force was named the Tenth Submarine Flotilla and was placed under Flag Officer Submarines, Admiral Max Horton, administratively, the Tenth Flotilla operated under the First Submarine Flotilla at Alexandria, itself under the admiral commanding in the Mediterranean, Cunningham. In reality, Cunningham gave Simpson and his unit a free hand, until U-class vessels could be made available in numbers, British T-class submarines were used. They had successes, but suffered losses when they began operations on 20 September 1940. Owing to the shortage of torpedoes, enemy ships could not be attacked unless the target in question was a warship, the flotillas performance of the fleet was mixed at first. They sank 37,000 long tons of Italian shipping, half by one vessel and it accounted for one Italian submarine, nine merchant vessels and one Motor Torpedo Boat. The loss of nine submarines and their crews and commanders was serious

34.
Royal Naval Reserve
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The Royal Naval Reserve is the volunteer reserve force of the Royal Navy in the United Kingdom. The present RNR was formed by merging the original Royal Naval Reserve, created in 1859, the Royal Naval Reserve has seen action in World War I, World War II, the Iraq War and Afghanistan. This led to a Royal Commission on Manning the Navy in 1858 and this established the RNR as a reserve of professional seamen from the British Merchant Navy and fishing fleets, who could be called upon during times of war to serve in the regular Royal Navy. The RNR was originally a reserve of only, but in 1862 this was extended to include the recruitment. From its creation, RNR officers wore on their uniforms a unique, after initial shore training, officers embarked in larger ships of the Royal Navys fleet for one year, to familiarise themselves with gunnery and naval practice. In 1910, the RNR was formed to recruit and train fishermen for wartime service in minesweepers, prior to the First World War, one hundred RNR officers were transferred to permanent careers in the regular navy—forever after referred to as the hungry hundred. In their professional careers, many RNR officers went on to command the largest passenger liners of the day and some also held positions in the shipping industry. On mobilisation in 1914, the RNR consisted of 30,000 officers, Officers of the permanent RNR on general service quickly took up seagoing appointments in the fleet, many in command, in destroyers, submarines, auxiliary cruisers and Q-ships. Others served in units of the battle fleet including a large number with the West Indies Squadron who became casualties at the Battle of Coronel. One such casualty was armed naval drifter HMT Frons Olivae, which hit a mine off Ramsgate on 12 October 1915 in an explosion killed at least five other seamen. One casualty, a Newfoundlander serving with the Royal Naval Reserve, was buried in the Hamilton Road Cemetery, Deal. Merchant service officers and men serving in armed merchant cruisers, hospital ships, fleet auxiliaries, although considerably smaller than both the RN and the RNVR, the RNR had an exceptional war record, members being awarded twelve Victoria Crosses. Again, RNR officers found themselves in command of destroyers, frigates, sloops, landing craft and submarines, or as specialist navigation officers in cruisers, in convoy work, the convoy commodore or escort commander was often an RNR officer. As in the First World War, the RNR acquitted itself well, during the Second World War, no more ratings were accepted into the RNVR, which then became the main route for wartime officer entry. The service was called the Wavy Navy, after the 3/8-inch wavy sleeve rings that RNVR officers wore to differentiate them from RN/RNR officers. From 30 November 2007, mainly due to increasing involvement of the RNR in RN operations and deployments, similarly, RNR ratings no longer wear RNR shoulder flashes. From 1938 until 1957, the RNVR provided aircrew personnel in the form of their own Air Branch, in 1947, their contribution was cut to anti-submarine and fighter squadrons only. By 1957, it was considered by the UK government that the required to operate modern equipment was beyond that expected of reservists

35.
Royal Navy Medical Service
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The Royal Navy Medical Service is the branch of the Royal Navy responsible for medical care. It works closely with Queen Alexandras Royal Naval Nursing Service, since the Royal Navy was officially established, the medical officers of the navy were segregated into surgeons and physicians. The current structure of ranking for medical officers was adopted in 1918, the medical branch today is made up of Medical Officers and non-commissioned officers and ratings as medical assistants, who receive similar training to paramedics. Nursing services are provided for the navy by the QARNNS which works alongside the Medical Service, in total,1,522 personnel are employed by the service. It is currently commanded by Surgeon Commodore Peter Buxton OBE QHP, the honorary Commodore-in-Chief of the RNMS is Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall. In her role as Commodore-in-Chief, the Duchess visited the training-establishment HMS Excellent in January 2012, all ranks of the medical branch provide medical care afloat as well at naval shore establishments and with the royal marines. Medical Assistants are deployed on all major warships and submarines of the Royal Navy and they also have the role of training the crew in first aid. Capital ships often carry non-commissioned medical technicians as part of the medical department. Medical Assistants both male and female provide medical support and shore side medical care to all Units of 3 Commando Brigade Royal Marines. All medical assistants are ranked in the manner as other ratings. Capital ships have separate medical departments permanently staffed by one or two officers, but they are embarked temporarily on smaller vessels when on a long operational tour. Medical officers are ranked in the manner as other officers. Although royal navy medical officers are qualified doctors, they do not use the Dr prefix, like those in other British military medical organisations

36.
Queen Alexandra's Royal Naval Nursing Service
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Queen Alexandras Royal Naval Nursing Service is the nursing branch of the British Royal Navy. The Service unit works alongside the Royal Navy Medical Branch, as of 1 January 2006, according to former Ministry of Defence junior minister Don Touhig, the QARNNS had a total strength of 90 Nursing Officers and 200 Naval Nurses out of a requirement of 330. The Navy List listed 92 QARNNS Officers, of two were captains, seven commanders,19 lieutenant-commanders,60 lieutenants and four sub-lieutenants. In 1883, a committee determined that improvements were needed in medical, as such, in 1884, a uniformed Naval Nursing Service was introduced, staffed by trained nurses. These nurses served on shore, initially at Haslar and Plymouth, Queen Alexandras Royal Naval Nursing Service Reserve was established on 13 October 1910. In 1949 a nursing branch of the Womens Royal Naval Service was formed, however, in 1960 these nurses were integrated into QARNNS, in 1982 an integrated service was formed, allowing men to serve as nurses in QARNNS. The first man to join was Senior Nursing Officer Rajendrasen Purusrum, although fully affiliated to the Royal Navy from 1977, QARNNS was technically a separate service until 31 March 2000, when it officially became part of the Royal Navy. Queen Alexandra was President until her death in 1925, the following year she was succeeded by Queen Mary. Princess Alexandra became Patron in 1955, initially there were only two ranks, Nursing Sister and Head Sister. In 1911 the intermediate rank of Superintending Sister was introduced, there was no overall head of the service until the introduction of the rank of Head Sister-in-Chief on 1 August 1927. By 1937 Head Sister and Head Sister-in-Chief had been renamed Matron, the ranking system changed during the Second World War. Ratings, known as Naval Nurses, were introduced in 1960 and their ranking system was similar to that of Royal Navy ratings. In 1982, in preparation for the introduction of male officers, margaret Keenan, 1927–1929 Mildred Hughes, 1929–1934 Catherine Renwick, 1934–1937 B

37.
Royal Navy Police
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The Royal Navy Police is the service police branch of the Royal Navy and Royal Marines. Members of the RNP enforce law, discipline, and maintain order as outlined in the Armed Forces Act 2006. The Royal Navy Police was known as the Royal Navy Regulating Branch until 2007, members are, however, still known as Regulators. The RNP subsumed the Royal Marines Police in 2009, although for operational purposes the majority of the two cadres of personnel are employed within their areas of the service. The RNP provide a Troop strength unit of Royal Marines to 3 Commando Brigade to provide policing services as part of the UK Landing force. The motto of the RNP is Ne Cede Malis which translates from Latin into English as Do not yield to adversity or Do not give in to evil. The RNP is the smallest of all branches in the three services, with its provost marshal holding the rank of commander. The Royal Navy has always, in one way or another, had the need to maintain order, ships marshals were abolished and replaced by the master at arms rate, which was introduced in about 1699, a tradition that continues right up to the present day. On punishment day, at six bells in the forenoon watch, the master at arms presented the offender to the captain, who questioned him about the offence and then delivered a verdict. The officer of the division was asked if he had anything to say in mitigation. If their reply did not satisfy the captain, he ordered the mans punishment, other than the actual act of flogging, the M. A. A. was responsible for ensuring that any punishment awarded was carried out. The M. A. A. was also accountable to the lieutenant at arms for the duties of the corporals, the supervision of sentries, the guard. Another duty that the M. A. A performed was, at around 9 pm, to patrol the ship and check that all lanterns and fires were out, probably an early form of evening rounds. In September 1944, the Admiralty concluded that the organisation for the maintenance of discipline on shore in the naval port areas was unsatisfactory. Shepherd, R. M. previously the naval provost marshal in Malta, the men detailed for patrol disliked the duty intensely believing it to be a form of punishment. Admiralty Fleet Order 6681/44 of 21 December 1944 implemented the proposals of the Shepherd report, as a result of the Shepherd report, regulating branch training, which hitherto had been carried out in the barracks of the main ports, was centralised. In 1945, a Royal Navy Regulating School was established at Beechwood Camp in Devon to train all regulating ratings and to maintain branch records. In 1946, the moved to Fort Wallington near Portsmouth, then in 1947 to HMS Cicero in Essex, then in 1948 to HMS Excellent

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Royal Marines
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The Corps of Royal Marines is the United Kingdoms amphibious light infantry force, forming part of the Naval Service, along with the Royal Navy. The Royal Marines were formed in 1755 as the Royal Navys infantry troops, as a highly specialised and adaptable light infantry force, the Royal Marines are trained for rapid deployment worldwide and capable of dealing with a wide range of threats. The Royal Marines have close ties with allied marine forces, particularly the United States Marine Corps. Today, the Royal Marines are a fighting force within the British Armed forces. The Royal Marines can trace its origins back as far as 28 October 1664 when at the grounds of the Honourable Artillery Company the Duke of York and Albanys maritime regiment of foot was first formed. On 5 April 1755, His Majestys Marine Forces, fifty Companies in three Divisions, headquartered at Chatham, Portsmouth, and Plymouth, were formed by Order of Council under Admiralty control. Initially all field officers were Royal Navy officers as the Royal Navy felt that the ranks of Marine field officers were largely honorary and this meant that the furthest a Marine officer could advance was to lieutenant colonel. It was not until 1771 that the first Marine was promoted to colonel and this attitude persisted well into the 1800s. During the rest of the 18th century, they served in numerous landings all over the world and they also served in the American War of Independence, being particularly courageous in the Battle of Bunker Hill led by Major John Pitcairn. In 1788 a detachment of four companies of marines, under Major Robert Ross, due to an error the Fleet left Portsmouth without its main supply of ammunition, and were not resupplied until the Fleet docked in Rio de Janeiro midway through the voyage. In 1802, largely at the instigation of Admiral the Earl St. Vincent, the Royal Marines Artillery was formed as a separate unit in 1804 to man the artillery in bomb ketches. These had been manned by the Armys Royal Regiment of Artillery, during the Napoleonic Wars the Royal Marines participated in every notable naval battle on board the Royal Navys ships and also took part in multiple amphibious actions. In the Caribbean theatre volunteers from freed French slaves on Marie-Galante were used to form Sir Alexander Cochranes first Corps of Colonial Marines and these men bolstered the ranks, helping the British to hold the island until reinforcements arrived. This practice was repeated during the War of 1812, where escaped American slaves were formed into Cochranes second Corps of Colonial Marines and these men were commanded by Royal Marines officers and fought alongside their regular Royal Marines counterparts at the Battle of Bladensburg. Throughout the war Royal Marines units raided up and down the east coast of America including up the Penobscot River and they fought in the Battle of New Orleans and later helped capture Fort Bowyer in Mobile Bay in what was the last action of the war. In 1855 the Infantry forces were renamed the Royal Marines Light Infantry, during the Crimean War in 1854 and 1855, three Royal Marines earned the Victoria Cross, two in the Crimea and one in the Baltic. In 1862 the name was altered to Royal Marine Light Infantry. The Royal Navy did not fight any other ships after 1850, in these Naval Brigades, the function of the Royal Marines was to land first and act as skimishers ahead of the sailor Infantry and Artillery

List of ship names of the Royal Navy
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This is an alphabetical list of all the names of ships that have ever been in service with the Royal Navy, as well as a list of fictional vessels in literature about the Royal Navy. Many of the names have been re-used over the years and thus represent more than one ship, altogether over 13,000 ships have been in service with the Royal Navy. Note th

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Ships of the Royal Navy

List of ship names of the Royal Navy (A)
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This is a list of Royal Navy ship names starting with A. J. Warlow, Ben. Ships of the Royal Navy, The Complete Record of all Fighting Ships of the Royal Navy

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Ships of the Royal Navy

List of ship names of the Royal Navy (B)
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This is a list of Royal Navy ship names starting with B. J. Warlow, Ben. Ships of the Royal Navy, The Complete Record of all Fighting Ships of the Royal Navy

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Ships of the Royal Navy

List of ship names of the Royal Navy (C)
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This is a list of Royal Navy ship names starting with C. J. Warlow, Ben. Ships of the Royal Navy, The Complete Record of all Fighting Ships of the Royal Navy

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Ships of the Royal Navy

List of aircraft carriers of the Royal Navy
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The following is a list of fleet aircraft carriers of the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom. HMS Unicorn was a repair ship and light aircraft carrier. Perseus and Pioneer were modified to operate as maintenance carriers, the 1942 design was modified to take more modern aircraft and these ships became the Majestic-class. Not completed until after the

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HMS Argus, 1918

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Ships of the Royal Navy

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HMS Furious

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HMS Eagle

List of escort aircraft carriers of the Royal Navy
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They were typically half the length and one-third the displacement of the larger fleet carriers. While they were slower, less armed, unarmoured and carried fewer aircraft, they were less expensive and this was their principal advantage, as escort carriers could be completed in greater numbers as a stop-gap when fleet carriers were scarce. However,

List of battlecruisers of the Royal Navy
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The battlecruiser was the brainchild of Admiral Sir John Fisher, the man who had sponsored the construction of the worlds first all big gun warship, HMS Dreadnought. He visualised a new breed of warship with the armament of a battleship, but faster, lighter, the first three battlecruisers, the Invincible class, were laid down while Dreadnought was

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HMS Inflexible about 1909

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Ships of the Royal Navy

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HMAS Australia or HMS New Zealand about 1918 with aircraft carried above her midships turrets

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HMS Lion in 1915

List of dreadnought battleships of the Royal Navy
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This is a list of dreadnought battleships of the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom. In 1907, before the revolution in design brought about by HMS Dreadnought of 1906, the Royal Navy had 62 battleships in commission or building, however, the launch of Dreadnought in 1906 prompted an arms race with major strategic consequences. Major naval powers race

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Benbow leads a line of three battleships.

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Ships of the Royal Navy

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HMS Dreadnought

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HMS Bellerophon

List of ironclads of the Royal Navy
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This is a list of ironclads of the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom. An ironclad was a warship in the early part of the second half of the 19th century. The term battleship was not used by the Admiralty until the early 1880s, prior to this point, a wide range of descriptions were used. For the sake of this article, the Royal Sovereign-class are tre

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Ships of the Royal Navy

List of bomb vessels of the Royal Navy
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Bomb vessels served in the Royal Navy over a period of about 150 years. The concept entered the Navy in the 1680s, based on French designs and usage, bomb vessels were designed to bombard enemy positions on land, such as towns and fortresses. For this they were fitted with one or two mortars that could fire high-trajectory shells over considerable

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HMS Erebus, a bomb vessel of the Royal Navy, depicted on a voyage of exploration in the Arctic.

List of breastwork monitors of the Royal Navy
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Reed gave these ships a superstructure to increase seaworthiness and raise the freeboard of the gun turrets so they could be worked in all weathers. The superstructure was armoured to protect the bases of the turrets, the funnels, the ships were conceived as harbour defence ships with little need to leave port. This meant that they could dispense w

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HMVS Cerberus in drydock in Williamstown, Victoria in 1871

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Ships of the Royal Navy

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Engraving of HMS Glatton

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Engraving of HMS Hotspur, showing the turret between the foremast and the funnel

List of cruiser classes of the Royal Navy
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This is a list of cruisers of the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom from 1877 until the last cruiser was deleted more than a century later. There are no longer any cruisers in the Royal Navy, armoured cruisers were protected by a belt of side armour and an armoured deck. In the Royal Navy this classification was not actually used, the term first cla

List of torpedo boat classes of the Royal Navy
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This is a list of torpedo boat classes of the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom, organised chronologically by entry into service. The Royal Navy purchased 1st and 2nd class torpedo boats for offensive and defensive combat roles, later – especially against the French automobile defense – the British primarily ordered torpedo boat catchers and torpedo

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Ships of the Royal Navy

List of fireships of the Royal Navy
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Fireships served in the Royal Navy over a period of several centuries. Fire was a hazard on the wooden warships of the time. Both sides used fireships in a number of engagements during the Anglo–Spanish War, fireships reappeared in unconventional forms during the English Civil War, and were used in earnest during the Anglo-Dutch Wars, particularly

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The Battle of Gravelines depicted in Defeat of the Spanish Armada, by Philippe-Jacques de Loutherbourg. English fireships cause havoc amongst the Spanish ships.

List of frigate classes of the Royal Navy
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This is a list of frigate classes of the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom in chronological order from the formal creation of the Royal Navy following the Restoration in 1660. Where the word class or group is not shown, the vessel was a design with just that vessel completed to the design. The list excludes vessels captured from other navies and add

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Ships of the Royal Navy

List of gun-brigs of the Royal Navy
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In general these were vessels of under 200 tons burthen, and thus smaller than the more common Cherokee-class brig-sloops or the even larger Cruizer-class brig-sloops. The gun-brigs generally carried 12 guns, comprising two long guns in the position and ten carronades on the broadsides. The earliest gun-brigs were shallow-draught vessels, initially

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Ships of the Royal Navy

List of gunboats and gunvessels of the Royal Navy
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For gun-brigs see List of gun-brigs of the Royal Navy This is a list of gunboat and gunvessel classes of the Royal Navy. e. They had a keel, stem and stern posts, and iron framing. The first two were towed to Bermuda where they served as harbour vessels, vixen was the first twin-screw vessel built for the Royal Navy, and Waterwitch employed a form

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Ships of the Royal Navy

List of monitors of the Royal Navy
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This is a list of monitors of the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom. Three of the ships, HMS General Wolfe, Lord Clive, the Marshal Ney-class monitors were built to utilise the two modern 15-inch turrets made available by the redesign of Renown and Repulse as battlecruisers. The Gorgon-class monitors were built as coastal defence ships for the Royal

List of Royal Yachts of the United Kingdom
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This is a list of royal yachts of the United Kingdom. There have been 84 royal yachts since the restoration of the monarchy in 1660, king Charles II had 25 royal yachts and five were simultaneously in service in 1831. Occasionally merchantmen or warships have been chartered or assigned for duty as a temporary royal yacht, for example the steamship

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Ships of the Royal Navy

List of ships of the line of the Royal Navy
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This is a list of ships of the line of the Royal Navy of England, and later of Great Britain, and the United Kingdom. Prince Royal 92 – taken and burnt by the Dutch 1666, Charles 96 – renamed St George 1687, re-classed as second rate 1691, rebuilt 1701. St Andrew 96 – renamed Royal Anne when rebuilt 1704, London 96 – broken up 1701. Prince 100 – re

List of support ships of the Royal Navy
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This is a list of support ships of the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom. There are currently no active ships, in World War I, obsolete hulks and cruisers were generally used for maintenance and support. Many commercial vessels were taken up from trade during both wars to act as depot ships, the first ship built specifically for the role was the Med

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Ships of the Royal Navy

List of survey vessels of the Royal Navy
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HMS Protector which carries the survey motor boat James Caird IV. HMS Scott Echo class multi–purpose survey vessels HMS Echo which carries SMB Sapphire, HMS Enterprise which carries SMB Spitfire. Hydrographic Survey Work in the Royal Navy up to the 1980s

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Ships of the Royal Navy

List of Royal Navy shore establishments
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This is a list of shore establishments of the Royal Navy and Royal Naval Reserve. Operational HQ for Commander in Chief Fleet Formerly Royal Naval Armaments Depot and formally elements of Defence Equipment, RNH Simons Town, South Africa RNH Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China. The Telecommunications Research Establishment moved into Duke in 1946 and is now

List of squadrons and flotillas of the Royal Navy
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This is a List of squadrons and flotillas of the Royal Navy. 1st Aircraft Carrier Squadron - British Pacific Fleet 2nd Aircraft Carrier Squadron - Home Fleet 3rd Aircraft Carrier Squadron - listed in Flight,20 April 1951, commanded at the time by then Rear-Admiral Caspar John. 11th Aircraft Carrier Squadron - Rear Admiral Cecil Harcourt hoisted his

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Ships of the Royal Navy

List of early warships of the English Navy
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This is a list of early warships belonging to the English sovereign or the English Government, the precursor to the Royal Navy of England. These include major and minor warships from 1485 until 1660, the latter being the year in which the Royal Navy came formally into existence with the Restoration of Charles II. Between Charles Is execution in 164

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Ships of the Royal Navy

List of warships of the Scots Navy
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This is a list of warships of the Royal Scots Navy, the navy of the Kingdom of Scotland prior to the Acts of Union 1707. For its continuation after this period, see List of ship names of the Royal Navy,1535, captured from the English, and used in the Scots Navy until she was recaptured. Janet 12 guns ship captured by the French July 10,1689, Royal

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A Scottish armed merchantman engaged in the Baltic trade is attacked by a Hanseatic ship. Detail from a 16th-century map.

United Kingdom
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The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom or Britain, is a sovereign country in western Europe. Lying off the north-western coast of the European mainland, the United Kingdom includes the island of Great Britain, Northern Ireland is the only part of the United Kingdom that shares a land border wi

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Stonehenge, in Wiltshire, was erected around 2500 BC.

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Flag

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The Bayeux Tapestry depicts the Battle of Hastings, 1066, and the events leading to it.

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The Treaty of Union led to a single united kingdom encompassing all Great Britain.

Her Majesty's Naval Service
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Her Majestys Naval Service, also known as the Senior Service, is the United Kingdoms naval warfare and maritime service. It consists of the Royal Navy, Royal Marines, Naval Careers Service, Royal Marines Band Service, the term Naval Service should be distinguished from the UK Naval Services, which consist of the Naval Service and the Merchant Navy.

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HMS Ocean (L12), an amphibious assault ship

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White Ensign

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HMS Diamond (D34), a Type 45 destroyer

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HMS Vanguard, a Vanguard-class ballistic missile submarine

British Armed Forces
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They also promote Britains wider interests, support international peacekeeping efforts, and provide humanitarian aid. Repeatedly emerging victorious from conflicts has allowed Britain to establish itself as one of the leading military. The Commander-in-chief of the British Armed Forces is the British monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, the UK Parliament a

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The Vulcan Bomber was the backbone of the United Kingdom’s airborne nuclear deterrent during much of the Cold War.

Royal Navy
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The Royal Navy is the United Kingdoms naval warfare force. Although warships were used by the English kings from the medieval period. The modern Royal Navy traces its origins to the early 16th century, from the middle decades of the 17th century and through the 18th century, the Royal Navy vied with the Dutch Navy and later with the French Navy for

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Royal Navy

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The Battle of Sluys as depicted in Froissart's Chronicles; late 14th century

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A late 16th century painting of the Spanish Armada in battle with English warships

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The Dutch Raid on the Medway in 1667 during the Second Anglo–Dutch War

Royal Navy Surface Fleet
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The Surface Fleet is the name given to the collection of surface vessels of the Royal Navy. At present it consists of two based at HMNB Portsmouth and HMNB Devonport, both located on the south coast of England, and a flotilla based at HMNB Clyde, Faslane. The surface fleet is engaged in numerous operations a worldwide basis. Closer to home, the fle

Fleet Air Arm
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The Fleet Air Arm is the branch of the British Royal Navy responsible for the operation of naval aircraft. The Fleet Air Arm currently operates the AgustaWestland Merlin, Westland Sea King, and AgustaWestland Wildcat helicopters, helicopters such as the Lynx and Westland Wasp have been deployed on smaller vessels since 1964, taking over the roles o

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Buccaneer S.2 of 800 NAS about to catch the wire aboard HMS Eagle in 1971

Royal Navy Submarine Service
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The Royal Navy Submarine Service is the submarine element of the Royal Navy. It is sometimes known as the Silent Service, as the submarines are generally required to operate undetected, the service operates seven fleet submarines, of the Trafalgar and Astute classes, and four ballistic missile submarines, of the Vanguard class. All of these submari

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Dolphin Badge

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White Ensign (1801 – present)

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HMS Holland 1, the first-ever submarine to be commissioned by the Royal Navy. She can still be seen at the Royal Navy Submarine Museum, Gosport.

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The "Dolphins" badge, issued to all British submariners on completion of training. It is worn on the upper left breast, just above any medal ribbons.

Royal Naval Reserve
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The Royal Naval Reserve is the volunteer reserve force of the Royal Navy in the United Kingdom. The present RNR was formed by merging the original Royal Naval Reserve, created in 1859, the Royal Naval Reserve has seen action in World War I, World War II, the Iraq War and Afghanistan. This led to a Royal Commission on Manning the Navy in 1858 and th

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Members of the Royal Naval Reserve training at Tramore, County Waterford, c.1905

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Royal Naval Reserve

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Royal Naval Reserve (RNR) nurses at work in the operating theatre.

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The officers of HMS Forward on parade in Birmingham on 11 November 2010.

Royal Navy Medical Service
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The Royal Navy Medical Service is the branch of the Royal Navy responsible for medical care. It works closely with Queen Alexandras Royal Naval Nursing Service, since the Royal Navy was officially established, the medical officers of the navy were segregated into surgeons and physicians. The current structure of ranking for medical officers was ado

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White Ensign (1801 – present)

Queen Alexandra's Royal Naval Nursing Service
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Queen Alexandras Royal Naval Nursing Service is the nursing branch of the British Royal Navy. The Service unit works alongside the Royal Navy Medical Branch, as of 1 January 2006, according to former Ministry of Defence junior minister Don Touhig, the QARNNS had a total strength of 90 Nursing Officers and 200 Naval Nurses out of a requirement of 33

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White Ensign (1801 – present)

Royal Navy Police
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The Royal Navy Police is the service police branch of the Royal Navy and Royal Marines. Members of the RNP enforce law, discipline, and maintain order as outlined in the Armed Forces Act 2006. The Royal Navy Police was known as the Royal Navy Regulating Branch until 2007, members are, however, still known as Regulators. The RNP subsumed the Royal M

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A member of the Royal Navy Police carrying out a vehicle speed check at HMS Sultan in Gosport, Hampshire.

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White Ensign (1801 – present)

Royal Marines
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The Corps of Royal Marines is the United Kingdoms amphibious light infantry force, forming part of the Naval Service, along with the Royal Navy. The Royal Marines were formed in 1755 as the Royal Navys infantry troops, as a highly specialised and adaptable light infantry force, the Royal Marines are trained for rapid deployment worldwide and capabl

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Major General John Tupper His Majesty's Marine Forces.

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Crest

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Royal Marines parade in the streets of Chania in spring 1897, following British occupation.

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The Admiralty complex in 1794. The colours indicate departments or residences for the several Lords of the Admiralty. The pale coloured extension behind the small courtyard on the left is Admiralty House.

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Old Admiralty (Ripley Building) in 1760 before addition of the Adam screen

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RAAF CT4 trainers lined up on the tarmac at Bankstown awaiting the Pickles auction start. 36 of these aircraft went under the hammer in Sydney in 1993 following the closure of the No 1 Flying Training School at Point Cook in Victoria.